Top Selling Board Games

You might be forgiven for thinking that they’re moving out of the limelight, but board games will forever remain relevant. With millions of hardcore fans around the world, board games still manage to get a significant amount of attention.

Old classics effectively retain their position, while new games always have the ability to go viral. While it might experience some dips, the board game industry will continue to grow in the near future.

If you’re curious about the top selling board games, then you’ve come to the right place. We’ll cover the best board games, that’ve been mainstays in the market for years now.

Here are the top selling board games on the market.

While the earliest versions of the game can be traced to the 6th century, modern chess rules can date its origins to 2015. It’s a game that’s been around for a while, but the popularity doesn’t seem to be going down anytime soon.

Chess is a game that pits two players against one another. Each player receives 16 pieces that break down into 6 different types. Players take it in turns to move the pieces on the board and eliminate the other players king. Each piece has a unique movement pattern which makes the game agile and strategic.

It’s a game that’s available in so many different formats, but the classic board game isn’t going out of style soon. The board is available in a variety of different styles. If you’re feeling a bit fancy, you can go for a full glass game.

Pros

• Highly Strategic
• Complex Gameplay
• Competitive

Cons

• Massive Skill Gap

Final Thoughts

Chess is easily one of the best board games of all time. Its longstanding history contributes significantly to why it sells so well. However, its yearly sales don’t show any signs of dipping either.

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Checkers even manages to predate chess by a fairly significant margin. It’s a game that’s played all around the world, with only slight variations in the rules.

The game is popularly played on 8×8, 10×10, and even 12×12 boards in some countries. It involves two players that sit opposite one another on the game board. One player will use all the dark pieces, while the other will go with the lighter ones.

Each player will alternate between turns moving their players. All the pieces are the same and will only move one step diagonally to an unoccupied square next to them.

If the opponent’s piece is on the adjacent square, the player will move their piece into the square directly adjacent to the piece. This will also result in the player capturing the opponent’s piece. The objective of the game is to capture all the opponent’s pieces.

Pros

• Good Strategy
• Complex but simple to understand
• Easy to learn

Cons

• Slightly repetitive

Final Thoughts

Like chess, one of the main reasons why checkers is on the top of the rankings is how long it’s been around. It’s also enjoyed all over the world, with different variants across countries too.

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The top three selling board games of all time are pretty ancient games. Backgammon is table game, that’s played with counters and dice on table boards.

It’s a two-player game in which both players receive fifteen pieces. The pieces will move along twenty-four points. The number of moves is determined by the roll of the dice.

The game is won by getting all the pieces of your board first. It’s a lot of fun to play because it’s a fun combination of strategy and luck. The game generally involves multiple rounds, which sees the player with the better strategy coming out on top more often than not.

Pros

• Fun combination of skill and luck
• Widely available
• Simple but fun gameplay

Cons

• Can get a bit boring

Final Thoughts

Backgammon is another game that’s played all around the world. It’s simple but strategic nature helps attract a very wide player base.

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While Monopoly seems historic by normal standards, it’s fairly modern compared to the previous entries on our list. It puts players in the position of real estate owners. The game revolves around buying and developing different properties.

When other players visit the properties they’ll have to pay rent. The goal is to ultimately bankrupt the other players. However, there’s a lot more complexity involved in the game. Players will have to mortgage properties, pay taxes, and there are some special cards as well.

It’s a board game that definitely promises a drama and fun-filled game night. The best part about the game is that it’s enjoyed by many different age groups.

Not only will you need a solid strategy and some luck, winning a game of monopoly requires a number of different skills. You’ll have to learn effective resource management, negotiation skills, and a good understanding of your opponent’s plan.

Pros

• Combines several brilliant gameplay mechanics
• Fun for the whole family
• Intense during the closing stages

Cons

• Games can last a significant while

Final Thoughts

One of the main things that makes monopoly so popular is that it’s a global game. While Hasbro is the main distributor, there are so many different versions and themes. You’ll definitely find a monopoly that scratches your itch. There are even video game versions that you can enjoy.

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Scrabble may not appeal to your typical gamers, but it’s among the best-selling board games for a reason. It’s different from your typical strategy game, but it’s not completely devoid of any strategy.

The objective of the game is fairly simple, players need to form words on a 15×15 board. They’ll draw tiles with different letters and a corresponding number on them. The number helps players determine the points they’ll receive.

On top of that, there are also different scoring regions on the board. These spaces essentially serve as multiplier. The player with the most points in the end is the winner.

It can be challenging to find a high quality version on Amazon. That’s why it’s best to stick with a game from the original manufacturer.

Pros

• Classic game for the family
• Great learning experience
• Special tiles make game more exciting

Cons

• Losing tiles is fairly easy

Final Thoughts

You’ll be able to get the board game from a wide variety of retailers due to its wide distribution. Scrabble is one of the best family board games on the market.

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Clue or Cluedo may not be like your classic party game or card game, but it’s one of the most popular board games of all time. While some board games tend to have positive settings, clue has players working to solve a murder mystery.

The game’s objective is to find the murderer, determine where the crime took place, and the weapon of murder. Players will determine the answer by moving around the game board, and collecting clues from other players.

While it might not be engaging for young children, clue is a different sort of party game than you’d expect. When players get into it, the game can become really intense quickly.

Pros

• Improves deductive reasoning
• Very exciting gameplay
• Iconic game pieces

Cons

• Challenging for newcomers

Final Thoughts

Clue is one of those fun games that can get players to experience a multitude of emotions. If you haven’t solved this murder mystery before, it’s definitely worth a shot.

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Trivial pursuit isn’t just your standard dice-rolling game. It’s a game that effectively challenges your general knowledge and familiarity with pop culture. With multiple different expansion packs and editions, the game is trending upwards.

Players will roll a dice and move across the board. The squares they land on will determine the question they’re asked. There are six categories in each game.

If the player answers correctly, the turn will continue and they’ll receive a plastic wedge. Players must collect six wedges from each category headquarters space and then return to the center “hub”.

At the hub they must answer a question from a category the other players choose. A correct answer will result in a victory.

With question sets continuing to evolve, trivial pursuit will continue to steadily grow in popularity.

Pros

• Helps expand knowledge
• Lots of fun in teams
• Can be great for game nights

Cons

• Not fun if the question set is obscure

Final Thoughts

Trivial Pursuit may seem daunting initially, but it continues to draw players in regularly. It’s a great game and you can even order special editions from amazon.

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You may have seen the name at Walmart and wondered what this game is like! Battleship is a tabletop game with a fairly simple process. It puts two players on opposite ends of a board with a screen in between.

Players will then take the starting period of the game, to place all their pieces in certain squares. Each piece takes up a certain amount of space, so it can involve a number of strategies.

After all the ships are in position, you can start with your fantasy naval world war. Players will take it in turns to call out different squares, until they get a hit. The game is over once a player loses his entire fleet.

The simple but incredibly addictive gameplay ensures that battleship is among everyone’s favorite board games.

Pros

• Great competitive strategy game
• Tense gameplay
• Several different editions

Cons

• Challenging for newcomers

Final Thoughts

Battleship initially started out as a simple pen and paper game, but it quickly evolved into a staple board game. It promises a fun and competitive two-player experience that’s not going to get boring anytime soon.

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Conclusion

Board games are a great way to spend your time away from the constant screens of modern-day life. People of all ages can come together to play board games. From old people that enjoy the classics, to newer variations that keep the same spirt of board games alive.

These top selling board games aren’t just there for show. The games are a ton of fun and will definitely guarantee you an amazing game night.

From diverse strategy games, to games like monopoly that put you in the role of a real estate owner, there’s a board game out there for everyone!